Contact: Dan Ohlson, 626-419-1489
CHICAGO, Oct. 16, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- John Kennedy, president and CEO of Autocam and Autocam Medical, is standing firm against the Affordable Care Act's mandate violating business owners' religious liberty and freedom of speech. The mandate forces Kennedy and family members who own a controlling interest in both companies to pay for drugs, procedures, and counseling, such as abortion-inducing drugs like Plan B (the "morning after pill') and Ella (the "week after pill"), that violate their deeply held convictions about the value of human life.
The mandate presents the Kennedys with a choice between three unsatisfactory options: violating their convictions about the sanctity of human life; violating their commitment to social justice by providing health insurance to their employees; and ruining their businesses by paying a $24 million fine ($100 per day per employee) for offering insurance that does not cover 100 percent of the cost of abortifacients. "Autocam takes pride in offering our employees excellent wages and benefits, including high quality, affordable health care options," said Kennedy. "The mandate, however, requires us to compromise our beliefs about the dignity of persons, because it forces us to violate our convictions about the sanctity of life or take away valuable benefits from our hardworking employees."
Because Autocam and Autocam Medical are self-insured, the mandate requires the Kennedys to pay for abortion-inducing drugs directly. "This law requires me to violate my beliefs, and it does nothing to improve access or eliminate cost for essential medications like insulin and heart medication," said Kennedy. 'The Obama administration is using the mandate to place controversial life-ending drugs above access to lifesaving drugs."
Autocam's healthcare plans are designed so that employees pay no premium, and 91 percent of currently employees take advantage of the plan's design. Autocam covers 100 percent of the cost of preventive care for employees and their families and contributes $1,500 toward the plan's deductible. Autocam's benefits plan also includes a wellness feature recently selected to the Honor Roll of the 2012 Michigan's Healthiest Employers program.
Last week, the Kennedys filed suit against Kathleen Sebelius and other federal officials challenging the HHS mandate.
A more detailed explanation of the plaintiffs' position can be found at www.catholicvote.org.
With 680 U.S. employees, Autocam and Autocam Medical are two growing global high-precision manufacturing companies headquartered in West Michigan. Autocam's automotive division manufactures products for OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers used in fuel systems, while Autocam Medical produces high-precision implants, instruments, and components used in medical and surgical applications. Visit www.autocam.com for more information.
